Shelf-tongs.



E. S, SAVAGE SHELF TONGS. APPLIUATIDN FILED APR.13.1908.

Patented June 1, 1909.

UNITE STATES PATENT oFFioE.

EDWARD s. SAVAGE, or RocnEsTER, N W YoRK, ssIGNoR TOAMERIGAN .GHEMlO-ALMANU- FAoruRINe & MINING COMPANY, or ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A ooRroR TmNor NEW YoRK.

SHE LF-TONGS Patented June 1, 1909.

. Application filed April 13, 1908. Serial No. 426,803;

- To all whom it my concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. SAVAGE,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Rochester, in the countyof Monroe and State of'New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in; Shelf- .Tongs, of which the following is aspecification.

j This-invention relates to shelf tongs, and consists in the apparatushereinafter describedand claimed.

' The object of the invention is to provide shelf ton sthat are "easyto' adjust to the article to e lifted by one hand only, both forreleasing and for seizing such article.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of a deviceembodyingthisinvention, art being broken away for compactness of 'lluse tra'tion;Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation'of a f portion of, the device, showingthe parallel- Iriovement mechanism thereof; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionthrough the handle and lock- 111g apparatus, showing the arts in theirpositions when the jaws of t e device are ov en; Ijig. fl is aview ofthe same parts. 8 own in Fig. 3, but showing their positions when thejaws are closed; andFig. 5 1s a section onthe staggered line 5-5 of Fig.8.

In the drawings, 1 is a handle of any suit-' able material, and of anydesired dimensions. Upon the upper end of the handle is apivot support2, to which a pair of ja'ws 3, 3 are pivoted on the pins or pivots 4,4.In the present form of the device, the jaws are on the opposite sides ofthe head. and each jaw 3 has its own pivot; and each jaw has an eX-tensionjend 6 beyond the pivot, which isv connected by a link 7 and acommon connecting bar or wire 8to a lever apparatus ,that'willlbe'described below. A' spring 9 is connected at one end with the links, andat the other end with the handle by a pin 10.

The normal tension of this spring tends to hold the jaws open.

Upon the end of each jaw is pivoted a grip ng piece or plate 11, having.on its grippingface, if desired, a roughened or impressible pad. Thepivot pins 12 connect the gripping plate 11 with the jaw 3. 'To thegripping plateis also pivoted, by the pivot 13, abar 14, which, with thejaw 3, constitutes a parallel-movement mechanism for maintaining. thejaws 11 either parallel to each other, or at aniyflselected anddefinite" the, present form" of angle toeach other,

pressed .gIlP

-0f;the detent'20, whereby, when t the device, the faces of the grippingplates 11 are always parallel, so that the gripping faces are maintainedin a fixed relative relation. The jaw 3 on one side of the apparatus isconnected to the .pivot 4, and to the gripping plate 11 by the pivot 12.The bar 14 is connected at one end to thepivot 4', and at the other endto the pivot 13. The pivots 12 and 13 are at the same distance apart as;

the pivots 4, 4, and a line passingthrough the pivots 12 and 18 'isparallel toa line passing through the pivots 4, 4. This constitutes awell known form of parallel-moveme'nt mechanism. Hence, as theconnecting rod 8 is reciprocated, and the spring 9-;expands andcontracts, the jaws 3, 23 approach or re'cede from each other, and thegripping plates 11 move with the jaws andparallel to each other.-

The jaw 3 may be hollow orU-shaped in cross-section, and the bar 14' maylie in the hollow or U-shaped jaw 3 as shown in Fig.2; thereby producinglight and strong jaws3, and preventing the buckling of the bar 14 whileguiding and supporting it. 7

The handle apparatus comprises a lever- 15 operating on one side of thehandle 1,- and having depending arms 16 straddling the handle 1 andivoted attheir lower ends by, a pin 17 to a lock 18 fastenedyon thelower or opposite side of the handlel. The lever 15 is therefore in theform of a bell crank,

and the connecting rod. or wire 8 is fastened to it in any suitable way,such as lay-the loop 19 which passes around the handle and is connectedma manner described below.

To the lever 15 is pivoted a detent 20, Of a.

bell-crank .form, by a transverse, pivot 21. A spring abutment on thelever 15, and theother end resting against one arm'of the detent 20,tends to pull said detent in one direction.

The loop 19 is connected to-the other arm of 22 having one end resting,Ol1y2tl'l said detent, and whenthe. lever 15; is; de

toward the handle 1-, and the-jaws an object, the detent20is tilted andthe spring 22 is'cornpressedl Thus the detent is controlled by thegripping pressure which must overcome the spring 22., l

Upon the lever 15 is pivoted also aspawl 24 on a transverse pivot 25,forlockingthc The said pawl edge said jaw. engages the notch, thepawl24'is field jaws in grippingposition, has a face or notch 26 forengaging an it is allowed to operate, and the spring'27 "t moves thepawl when the latter is released, so that it engages the rack.

The operation of the device is as follows:

' If one desires to lift a package, book, or other article from a highshelf, the jaws are laced one on each side of the article so to belifted,- and the lever 15 is tilted 'so as to move it toward thehandle 1. This closes the jaws and gripping plates upon the article inques tion. The gripping piece is pivoted to the jaw, and is tilted inorder to maintain the parallelism above mentioned around an aXistransverse to the plane 'of movement of the jaw, and is thereforeautomatically adjusted to objects grasped by the apparatus.

As soon as the article to be fted is graspe by the gripping pieces andjaws, and the lever 15 is further depressed, the pull-of the connectingrod 8 and loop 19 upon the detent 2'0 tilts the latter, compresses thespring 22 until the parts take the position shown in Fig. 4, therebycausing the detent 20 to recede from the notch 26 in the pawl 24, and bythe action of the spring 27, the pawl-thereupon engages the rack 23 andlocks the jaws in the position to which they have been set. But untilthe selected gripping pressure is reached, which permits the compressionof the spring 22, the pawl 24 remains inactive and the jaws may e o enedand closed freely by the action of the ever 15 and spring 9. When,however,

' the grippin pressure is reached, the pawl 24 automatical y engages itsrack, and the parts are locked in gri ping position.- This device,therefore, by a justment of the spring 22, is inoperative for grippingpurposes until a predetermined gripping pressure is attained,

u-t when that gripping pressure occurs, the

. jaw mechanism is automatically locked.

It is obvious that if one of the jaws becomes fixed, the other jaw willoperate. What I claim is i 1;. In a shelf tongs, the combination of ahandle; jaw mechanism carried b said han-' dle; and means for automaticay locking said jaw mechanism upon the occurrence of a predeterminedgripping pressure.

2. In a shelf tongs, the combination of a handle; j aw mechanism carriedby said handle; operating means for said jaw mechanism; and means forautomatically locking said operating'means upon a predetermined grippingpressure of said jaw mechanism.

' I 3. In a shelf tongs, the combination of a handle; jaw mechanismcarried by said han dle; operating means for said jaw mechanism; atwo-part locking mechanism for looking said jaw mechanism in grippingposition, having one part carried by the operat- 4. In a shelf tongs,the combination of a handle; jaw mechanism carried by the handle a handlever pivoted on the handle and connected to said jaw mechanism; alocking device carried by said lever; means on the handle for engagementwith said locking device; a detent for preventing action of said lockingdevice; and means controlled by the I gripping pressure for releasingsaid detent.

.5. In ashelf tongs, the combination of a handle; jaw mechanism carriedby the handle; a hand lever pivoted on the handle; a pawl carried bysaid lever; a rack on the han-- dle for engagement with said pawl; adetent carried b said lever for preventing action of said paw aconnection from said detent to said jaw mechanism; and a spring compressed by the pull of the connection u on said detent by movement ofsaid detent t at releases said pawl.

6. In a shelf tongs, the combination of a handle; hollow jaw mechanismcarried thereby; gripping pieces carried by Sald' 1j&W mechanism; meanslying within said hollow jaw mechanism for maintaininga fixed relativeposition of the grip ing pieces as the jaw mechanism opens and c oses;and means for 1%.

operating said jaw mechanism.

7. In a shelf tongs, the combinationof a handle; hollow jaw mechanismpivoted to said handle; one or more gripping pieces .piv-, oted to saidjaw mechanism; a arallel movement bar pivoted to said hand e and to eachgripping piece and lying in said hollow jaw mec anism and me ans foroperating said jaw mechanism. Y

8. In --a shelf tongs, the combination of a handle; jaw mechanismcomprising a hollow movable jaw pivoted to said handle; a grip pingpiece pivoted to said jaw; a parallel movement bar pivoted to saidhandle and to said gripping piece and lying in (said hollow aw; andmeans for operating said jaw.

' 9. Ina shelf tongs, the combination of a handle; j'aw mechanism,comprising a movable jaw U-shaped in cross-section and pivoted to-saidhandle; a gripping piece pivoted. to said movable jaw; a parallelmovement bar pivoted to said handle-and to said gri oping piece, andlying in the U-shaped jaw; and means for operating said movablejaw.

EDWARD SSAVAGIJ. Witnesses:

H. L. Oseoon, D. GURNEE.

